Wiltshire Police in 'precarious position' without a PCC
Council officials have expressed concerns that Wiltshire Police is in a “precarious position” due to the lack of an elected police and crime commissioner (PCC) in the region.
Conservative Party candidate Jonathan Seed received 40 per cent of the vote in the first round and was elected after it went to a second ballot but was subsequently disbarred after it emerged that he had a historical driving conviction.
Electoral Commission guidance states candidates for PCC posts cannot stand for election if they have been convicted of an offence punishable with a prison sentence.
Thames Valley Police has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the election.
Kieran Kilgallen, the chief executive of the office of the PCC for Wiltshire, has been made interim PCC until August when a new election will be held.
However, at a meeting of the police and crime panel on Thursday (June 10), chair Junab Ali warned that, without a PCC in place, many key decisions – such as the proposed sale of parts of the police estate – will have to be placed on hold.
“We are in a really precarious situation, so I think all of us will be learning and we have to be very patient as we go along to find a way through this impasse,” he said, according to a report by the BBC.
